Extract fruity, nutty and floral flavours from your go-to coffee with the pour-over method

There's a lot to love about manual brewing: deeper flavours, more control and the satisfaction of making your own hot cup of joe. Sure, the pour-over method takes longer than automatic drip brewers, but that’s exactly why the coffee tastes far superior. By slowly saturating the coffee grounds with hot water, you’re extracting notes you'd never have discovered otherwise, whether they're fruity, nutty or floral.

It’s no wonder then that most specialty coffee shops prefer this method of brewing, and you can enjoy the same goodness at home with your own pour-over kit. Before checking out our selection of the best pour-over coffee makers, make sure you’re equipped with some essential tools. A gooseneck kettle will help with controlled, precise extraction, and a coffee grinder will allow you to prepare a fresh batch every time, if you source whole beans.

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Pricey for carrying a single unit with no paper filters, the Chemex pour-over might get overlooked. But the US-based coffee maker brand has been in the game since 1941, and owes the invention of its patented all-glass carafe to a German chemist. It’s all in the science, which is why Chemex coffee makers are a household name. This Classic model prepares eight cups of drip coffee and comes with its own special set of instructions, from the grind particle size to blooming time. You can even refrigerate the brewed coffee for reheating later – don’t worry, it’s still going to taste the same. Using Chemex paper filters will eliminate bitterness and acidity from your brew, so add this pack for the best results.

Fellow’s Stagg [XF] pour-over set offers a more contemporary experience. The flat-bottomed dripper is fixed to a double-wall glass carafe, resembling a tumbler more than a coffee maker. Its 700ml capacity prepares one to two servings, which you can get started on right away, since it comes with 30 Stagg paper filters. The dripper, which looks like a screw-on lid, has steep walls within for more coffee-to-water contact, is vacuum insulated to maintain water temperature, and has a built-in ratio aid, letting you add just the right amount of coffee. The best part about this set is that the dripper is a separate unit, so you can use it over your coffee tumbler directly. Fellow provides a straightforward guide to making coffee in the [XF] coffee maker on its website.

If you’d still prefer a scale and your own gooseneck kettle, then check out Sotech’s set. It’s so sleek and cohesive that you’ll want to dedicate a special corner to this barista kit. The box includes an elegant kettle with a built-in thermometer, an electric scale with a timer, a ceramic dripper, a 600ml ceramic coffee pot and mug, a grinder and 40 pieces of paper filters. What might be a drawback for some is the over-fire kettle that does not operate electrically. The pour-over set makes six small cups.

Bonus: Buy with zero per cent instalments and pay Dh58.33 for 12 months with select banks.

Bring the pour-over method to the outdoors or the office, with portable gear. Stanley’s Camp set retains the traditional brewing experience in a stainless steel dripper and 350ml camp mug. There’s no paper filter hassle with this one – the coffee’s aromatic oils and flavours all seep through a permanent filter. Plus, it’s environmentally friendly. Unlike other brewers, the Stanley pour-over kit isn’t fragile but rugged, and is built to last a lifetime, especially since the carafe is a thermos mug. Reviewers recommend a medium-to-coarse grind.

The Hario V60 is its own brand in the pour-over community. The Japanese company invented the conical dripper (hence, ‘V’-shaped and sloped at a 60-degree angle) in 2004, and popularised the iconic form as we know it today. In this starter set by Hario, coffee lovers are getting a plastic V60 dripper, a 700ml glass coffee pot, a scoop and 100 paper filters. It’s affordable for the non-glass V60, but, according to the reviewers, the plastic unit still holds heat well. The dripper’s unique spiral ribbing design and large opening at the bottom let you control your extraction speed. For a light cup, pour water quickly; for a rich flavour, go over the grinds slowly.

Warranty: Amazon offers a one-year extended warranty for Dh12 and two years for Dh17.

Our recommendations are independently chosen by Gulf News editors. If you decide to shop through links on our website, we may earn an affiliate commission, as we are part of Amazon Services LLC Associates Program.

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